Knockdown utility cabinet



Oct. i, 1949. F. ALBACH EIAL 21,433,605

KNOCK-DOWN UTILITY CABINET Filed Oct. 25, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRANK ALBACH GEORGE R. CHERVE KA Oct. 4, 1949.

F. ALBACH ETAL KNOCK-DOWN UTILITY CABINET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 25, 1946 Fl 6 3 luvs/urea: -FRANK ALBACH GEORGE R. CHERVENKA Patented Oct. 4, 1949 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE KNOCKDOWN UTILITY CABINET Application October 25, 1946, Serial No. 705,596

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in utility cabinets and, more particularly, to a utility cabinet which can be quickly and conveniently assembled and disassembled, of the so-called knock-down type.

The present invention has for its primary object the provision of a utility cabinet which may be economically and conveniently constructed from sheet metal stampings and which, from the simplicity and small number of its constituent parts, may be readily and easily assembled and disassembled.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a cabinet of the type stated which, when set up or assembled, is extremely rigid and sturdy and is held together by simple but concealed securing means located so as to be out of the way andnot form unsightly or inconvenient obstructions within the interior of the cabinet.

And with the above and other objects in view, our invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a utility cabinet constructed in accordance with, and embodying the present invention, showing the component parts in juxtaposed relation for assembly each with the other;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a fully assembled utility cabinet;

Figure 3 is a broken sectional view of the utility cabinet taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figures 4 and 5 are fragmental horizontal sectional views taken along line 4--4 and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 7-1 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Figure '7; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the shelfholding clip forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now in more detail, and by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, A designates a sheet metal utility cabinet, including an upper or top member I, a rear wall member 2, a pair of complementary side wall members 3, 3', a hollow base or bottom member 4, and a sheet metal door member 5.

11 Claims. (Cl. 312141) The base or bottom member 4 is fabricated from sheet metal of suitable gauge and integrally comprises a rear wall 6, side walls I, a decoratively recessed front wall 8, and a rectangular floorsection 9 provided in its four corners with circular apertures Ill and rectangular apertures ll. Spot welded upon the under face of the floor-section 9, adjacent and parallel to the forward and rearward margins thereof, are two inverted U channels l2 having circular apertures l3 and rectangular apertures M, respectively registering with the apertures H], H.

The top member I is similarly fabricated from sheet metal in the form of a more or less shallow dome-like structure of rectangular horizontal cross-section having flat vertical front and back walls l5, Hi. The top member I is further bent inwardly along its lower side margins in the formation of a wide horizontal flange l1 and along its lower front and rear margins in a narrow horizontal flange ll provided at its four corners with circular apertures l8 and rectangular apertures l9 so positioned that, when the top member I and base member 2 are superposed in marginal alignment, apertures It, I I and I 8, I9, respectively, of each corner, will be in vertically aligned registration. Spot Welded upon the upper faces of the flange H, and extending along the front and back walls, [5, iii, are L-shaped angle sections provided with circular apertures 2| and rectangular apertures 22 positioned for registration, respectively, with the apertures [8, I9.

The rear wall 2, also fabricated of sheet metal, consists of a back-forming section 23 integrally provided at its vertical margins with offset bends 24 which extend forwardly perpendicular to the plane of the back-forming section 23 and are, in turn, at their outer margins integrally formed with flanges 25 extending at an angle of approximately 30 to the plane of the back-forming section 23. The outer margins of the flanges 25 are reversely bent in the provision of tubular channels 26 for receiving tie rods 2'! which extend therethrough and project at opposite ends therefrom for insertion, respectively, into the apertures l0, l8, such projecting ends being threaded for re ceiving retention nuts 28, and along its upper and lower horizontal margins the back-forming section 23' is finally provided with narrow inturned horizontal seating-flanges 29, all for purposes presently more fully appearing.

The side wall member 3 is likewise fabricated of sheet metal and comprises a wall-forming section 39 bent inwardly at along both of its fi lr calmarginsin the provision ,of facing flanges 3| which are each in turn bent inwardly and laterally in the formation of an onset-bend 32 and a back-flange 33, the latter being parallel to the facing flanges 5i and being, along its outer margin bent back upon itself, as at 34, in the provision of an abutment flange 35 disposed at an angle of approximately 30 to the back-flange 33, having an inwardly depressed U-shaped recess 35 extending vertically from top to bottom thereof for snug-fitting retentive engagement with the channel 26 of the back .or rear wall :2. The abutment flange 35 is bent outwardly along its outer margin in the provision-of-a narrow securement lip 3? which isrspotiwelded against the inner face of the wall-forming sectiondfl to complete the formation of hollow corner posts or pilasters p, p, of somewhat triangular crosssectional shape, and the abutment fiange'35 is finally provided, in the area betweentheflipriil and the recess 36, with'a uniformly spaced series of shelfebracket .slots 38.

,Spot welded upon theinner faces of eachof the back-flanges 33, and disposed tightly. between the inner faces of the wall-forming section 35 and the reverse bendf34, isa re-inforcing barl39 extending vertically through the corner posts p, p, flush with the upper and lower ends thereof and being integrally provided at its ends with rectangular tongues'Ml sized for snug-fitting engagement in the rectangular apertures ll, l9.

'Itshould be noted in this connectionthat the corner posts 12 and the flanges 25 are so shaped as tofit snugly together with the reverse bend 34 and offset-bendEtnested insuch a manner that the back flange 33 will lie in'the same plane as the back-formingsection'Zt, as shown in Figure 6. It should also be noted that'theitongues 323 of the ,re-inforcing bars 39 lie behind'the tie rods 2'! to create a so-called interlocked effect at all eight-corners of the finally assembled cabinet, as shown in Figures 7 and 8.

'The other or'companion side wallmember 3' is substantially similar in construction to the side wall member *3, being provided along its rear margin with a corner post p" which is the mirror image, so to-speak, of the corner post p, including a facing flange 3|,and offset-bend 32, a back-flange '33, a reverse bend'34,'and an abutment flange 35 having a recess '36, securementlip Ell and a re-inforcing bar 39. 'Alongits for- Ward margin the side wall 'member 3 'is provided with'a hollow triangular corner'post p which is similar to the corner postp except that it does not have a facing flange 3| and offsetbend but instead has a fiat or continuous front flange 4!, a reverse bend '34, and an abutment flange 35 having a recess 35, and a secureinent lip 3?. The corner post p' is further provided interiorly with a re-inforcing bar'39' substantially identical to the re-inforcing bars 39 except that re inforcing bar 39' is provided with a series of tapped apertures -42 in registration with-counter-sunk apertures formed in'the front flange ll for receiving screws 13 bywhich one leaf C of a long piano-type hinge h is secured to the corner post 19". It should be noted'that the side wall section 3 is slightly narrower than the side wall section 3 so that the outer face of the front flange t1 lies in thesame plane as the outer face of the back fiange'33 of the corner post p as shown in Figure ,6.

The door member '5 includes ,a rectangular front panel :35 arcuately formed along its ,four peripheral margins, as at 66, and bent inwardly and miter-ed in the formation of a continuous flange 33 of the corner post p.

inturned flat flange 41. Crimped around, and spot welded to, the two vertical margins of the flange ll are re-iniorcing channels 48, 43', extending obliquely inwardly and being provided wi ii a securement lip :29 which is, in turn, spot welded to the inner face of the front panel as. Welded or otherwise suitably secured to, and extending horizontally between, the channels 68, 38', are narrow auxiliary shelves 55 and welded across the channel 38 approximately midway of 'its height, is a latch support 5! for pivotally supporting an L shaped latch-bar 52, one leg 53 of which extends inwardly for door-latching engagementiwith a keeper 5-3 welded to the back The other leg 55 of the latch-bar 52 extends outwardly along the inner face .of the front panel beneath a tongue 55 formed on the inner end of a latch-actuator or handle 5'2 which is, in turn, suitably pivoted upon the outer face of the front panel 45 and projects through a slot 58 formed therein, the latch-bar fiz being normally held in latching position by asniall tension spring secured at one end to the latch support 5! and at itsiother end to the latch-baixleg 55. Finally, the hinge leaf id of the hinge h is spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the outwardly presented face of'the marginal door-flange 4'! wlierebythe door member 5 is mounted for closure-wise swinging movement upon the assembled cabinet A.

Provided for removable disposition in the slots 38 are shelf-supporting brackets 68 formed of relatively heavy gauge strap metal and integrally including a horizontal leg 6!, an oblique leg 62, the legs! being provided with an upturned tongue 63 and the leg 62 having a projecting tongue 64, the distance between the leg 6| and the tongue'G-l being equal to the distance between two adjacent slots 38. Four such brackets 60 are hooked into slots 33 at the same height level foradjustablysupporting a flat shelf member 55 marginally contoured to fit loosely within the interior of the cabinet A.

The utility cabinet A may be packaged and shipped in so-called knock-down condition, thereby saving a substantial amount of packaging and shipping costs. Upon reaching its ultimate destination, the utility-cabinet A may be quickly and conveniently assembled by inserting the lower ends of the tie rods 2'! and the downwardly projecting tongues 46 of the re-inforcing bars 3%, respectively, of the corner posts, p, p", into the rearward pairs of apertures H], H, in the base member ii. Similarly, the downwardly projecting:tongues'0 of the're-inforcing bars 39, 39, of the cornerposts p, 11'' will be ins'ertedinto'the forwardly positioned rectangular apertures ll of the' 'base member I. Therear wall 2 and the side walls 3, 3, will thereupon assume their respective upright relation and the top member '4 may be set in place, the upwardly projecting ends of the tie rods 21 and the upwardly'projecting tongues ill of there-inforcing bars 39, of'the cornerposts P, 1 Willbe inserted, respectively, into the rearward ,pairs of apertures I8, 19. Similarly, the upwardly projecting tongues of the re-inforcing bars 39,-39','ofthe said corner posts p',. p, will be inserted into the forwardly located rectangularapertures l9. The tie rods 2'! are providedfor insertion, at their opposite ends, in the :apertures if l8, respectively, and are adapted to lie loosely withinthe channels 36 0f the corner posts p, p. Theentire cabinet is secured tightly in assenibled relationship -.by threading retentive nuts 28 tightly down upon the threaded ends of the tie rods 21, 21'. It will thus be evident that the utility cabinet A is actually held together simply by eight nuts and may thus be quickly and simply put together without the use of complicatedtools or skilled labor. Finally, the door member 5 may be mountedupon the face of the cabinet by means of the screws 43, completing the entire assembly operation. 7 Y Itshould be understood that changesand modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of'the utility cabinet may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of our invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v1. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base member provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with corner posts having recesses and up wardly and downwardly projecting members for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base and top wall, and a back wall provided with projections for engagement with the recesses of the corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in others of the recesses in the base and top members.

2. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base member provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with corner-posts of triangular cross-sectional shape having recesses and being provided with upwardly and downwardly projecting members for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base and top wall, and a back wall provided with projections for interlocking engagement with the recesses of the corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in others of the recesses in the base and top members.

3. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base member provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts having upwardl and downwardly projecting members for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base and top members, said corner posts being provided with a vertical recess, and a back wall having marginal bead-like channels for interlocking engagement with the recesses of the triangular corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in others of the recesses in the base and top members.

4. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base member provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts each having a reinforcing bar extending therethrough and being provided at its ends with upwardly and downwardly projecting tongues for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base and top members, said triangular corner posts being provided with recesses, and a back wall provided with projections for interlocking engagement with the recesses of the triangular corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in others of therecessesin the base and top members. v

5. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a rectangular base member provided in each of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a rectangular top member similarly provided in each of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts each having a reinforcing bar extending therethrough and provided at its ends with upwardly and downwardly projecting rectangular tongues for engagement respectively in the rectangular, recesses of the base and top members, said triangular corner posts being provided with recesses, and a back wall having marginaltubular channels adapted for interlocking engagement with the recesses of the triangular corner posts of the side walls and-having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in the circular recesses in the base and top members; 7 r

6. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a rectangular base member provided ineach of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a rectangular top member similarly providedin each of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts each havingv a reinforcing bar extending therethrough and provided at its ends with upwardly and downwardly projecting rectangular tongues for engagement respectively in the rectangular recesses of the base and top members, each of said triangular corner posts having a vertical recess, a back wall having marginal tubular channels adapted for interlocking engagement with said vertical recesses of the triangular corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting threaded rods for engagement in the circular recesses in the base and top members, and nuts for securing the rods in place.

7. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base member provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with corner posts having upwardly and downwardly projecting members for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base and top wall, said corner posts having recesses, a back wall provided with channels for engagement with the recesses of the corner posts of the side walls and having upwardly and downwardly projecting means for engagement in others of the recesses in the base and top members, and a door hingedly mounted upon one of the corner posts.

8. A knock-down sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a rectangular base member provided in each of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a rectangular top member similarly provided in each of its four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts each having a reinforcing bar extending therethrough and provided at its ends with upwardly and downwardly projecting rec-.

ee-mm '7 engagement with the recesses 6f the tn-answer corner posts of the side walls and having n'p- Weary and downwardly 'pro'j'e'c'ting inefans for eel-easement the circular recesses in the base and the members, and a door hinZge'dly inounteitl npfn one of the corner posts.

9. Knack-down sheet ine'tal utility cabinet ea'mpiising a rectangular base member prcv-ide'd in each 6f its f'oiir corners with a circular recess and a riectang ular recess, a rectangmai t'dp' member similarl pr'ovid'ed in each of its "four corners with a circular recess and a rectangular recess, a pair "-b'i "side walls formed 'with hollowtr'iang'iilar c'ii ner posts each having *2. reinforcing bar extending therethrouigh and provided at its ends with iipwar'dly and downwardly projecting recta'iig'iilar tongues for engagement res'pectivel'y in the rectangzilar "recesses of the 'base and top members, each of said trfangnla'r corner 'p'o'st's haviiig a l'dng'itlidin'al recess on its inwardly presented face, a 'b'ackwall having marginal tnbiila'r channels adapted for interlocking engagement With the recesses of the triangular corner posts 6f the "side walls and 'havin'guitiwaidly and downweirdly irir'o'jecting threaded rods for engagement intlie circular recesses in the base and top members, iiuts fbr securing the rods in place, and a deer hihg'edly irioiinted 'upb'n one 'of the corner hosts.

10. A knock-down "sheet metal utility cabinet ccfiipiisingaba'se member provided with recesses in its ccr'ners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side Walls formed with "corner posts having upwardly and dcwnwa rdly projecting members for engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the base "and top wall, said corner pos'ts having recesses, a back wall provided with channels for engagement with the recesses o'f'the'corner posts 6f the side walls and having 'upwardly and down- 8 wa rciiy proiiedtfn'g means for engagement incthers 'o f'the recesses in the base and top members, said corner posts being provided with a uniformly spaced sei'ies'bf'sl'ots, and adjustable shelf means mounted in said slots.

11. A knock-down rectangular sheet metal utility cabinet comprising a base "member 'provided with recesses in its corners, a top member similarly provided with recesses in its corners, a pair of side walls formed with hollow triangular corner posts having upwardly and "downwardly projecting members fii'r engagement respectively in selected ones of the recesses in the ba's'eand top members, said corner pos'ts being provided with a vertical recess, a back wall having marg'inal bead-like channels for interlocking en'gag'ement with thev'e'r'tical recesses of the triangular carr er posts 'of the side walls and having 111)- wardl'y and downwardlyprojec'ting means for engagement in others of the recesses in the base and top members, said cornerpc'sts each bel'ng provided in the area between the recess thereof and its main wall-forming section with a uniformly spaced series of sldt's, shelf brackets removabl'y -e'ngaged in the slots "of each corner post, and shelf members adjustably carried by the brackets.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file 'of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,440,271 Blood Dec. 26, 1922 1,'978;494 Junkers Oct. 30, 1934 2,374,658 Bares i- May 1, 194's 

